CHA Wrap Up

This year CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) tradeshow was in sunny Anaheim, California. I got the opportunity to go again this year as they let a few select bloggers come to cover the show and see the latest, greatest craft products out there. It is fun to go out there and hang with such amazing talent and ladies that “get me.” Plus it is so much eye candy I can barely contain it all. I wanted to highlight some of the coolest products that I saw at the show.

Heidi Swapp is a household name in the scrapbook industry. She has been in the industry for years designing for various companies. Currently, she has partnered with Pink Paislee and has this amazing resist cardstock. It starts white with a shiny design on it. You can add ink, paint, stamps, or dye to create custom colored designed paper. So now your designs are not limited by color because you create the color!

I also got to go to lunch with Heidi and just soak in her brilliance and spunk. She is awesome!

I think these are so fun to add a little personalized art to any space. They are prescreened designed canvases that you just your flair to. You just take scrapbook paper, fabric, newspaper, pictures or any other flat medium and add it into each of the spaces to create a one-of-a-kind art piece. I think it would be cute to use pieces from a raggedy old quilt or baby clothing to make it more meaningful.

The Imaginsce booth had some fun tools this year (I heart tools!). They have a new one that I hadn’t seen called the Itop which makes fabric or paper buttons, snaps, brads, tacks or pins.

They also had a ribbon cutter with heat sealer called the i-magicut Ribbon Cutter. It cuts your ribbon and seals the edges so that you have no more frayed ends. This would be great for all of you who make baby bows and hair things in the droves.

I have worked with Envirotex Lite for years and love it for its durability and deep, glossy shine that is gives your projects. See custom knobs here. They have a new jewelry resin that has a citrus scent (bonus for those of you who have ever worked with this product before) and the gasses burn off quicker. Look at some of these beautiful pieces using resin and friendly plastic!

June Tailor is actually quite an innovative company. I talked to one of their employees who told me they come out with 25-30 new products a year! Wow that is impressive. If you work with textiles you know June Tailor. This year they launched a new rotary cutter line that makes 1” or 1/2” (depending on which one you purchase) strips cutting 4 at a time! Those of you who make quilts or fleece tied blankies would love this bad boy!

#6 Darice launched a new line of DIY jewelry designed by Tori Spelling. It is a perfect jewelry project for someone who has never tried beading but wants to style their own. Tori says “she designed it, but we get to style it.” I am hoping to unveil the entire line to you soon and it should be in stores this summer.

One of my very best (and first!) blogging friends – Amy of Mod Podge Rocks finished her new book set to be released in early summer. And she gave me the opportunity to showcase one of my projects in the book as well. {Squuueal!} Here I am with a working copy of the book.

Speaking of new books another friend (and fellow Hoosier) Candie Cooper is also set to release her new book “Necklaceology” this summer as well. She also did my favorite make and take at the show with her ring bling.

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